Method for coding biometric data, method for controlling identity and devices for carrying out said methods

1. A method of coding biometric data associated with respective individuals, comprising the following steps:

obtaining biometric data associated with an individual;

generating a word relating to an error correcting code chosen so as to correct a quantity of errors in conjunction with a statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual, the word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to said individual;

performing a combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which said combination is an exclusive OR between the biometric data obtained and the word generated.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the item concealed in the word generated is an identity of said individual.

4. The method as claimed in one of the preceding claim 1 , in which the generation of the word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to said individual is in accordance with the McEliece cryptosystem.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which a substantially predetermined quantity of binary elements of the word generated or of the result of the combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated is modified or erased.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 , in which the substantially predetermined quantity of binary elements of the word generated that is modified or that is erased is fixed as a function of a preset level of difficulty of retrieving the item concealed in said word, without knowing said private function, and of the statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 , in which the sum of said substantially predetermined quantity of binary elements of the word generated that is modified or that is erased and of said statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual is less than or equal to the quantity of errors that the error correcting code chosen can correct.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the result of the combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated is stored.

9. A method of checking identity on the basis of previously stored biometric data, the biometric data being associated with respective individuals and each being coded with a respective word relating to an error correcting code, each word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to the individual associated with the corresponding biometric data, the error correcting code being chosen so as to correct a quantity of errors in conjunction with a statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual, the method comprising the following steps:

performing a biometric measurement relating to an individual;

performing a combination between said biometric measurement and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data; and

decoding the result of said combination on the basis of said private function, so as to retrieve the item concealed in the word with which the biometric data associated with said individual have been previously coded.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , in which said combination is an exclusive OR between said biometric measurement and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , in which said item concealed in a word relating to the error correcting code, with which the biometric data associated with an individual are coded, is an identity of said individual.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , furthermore comprising a step in which a check is carried out to verify that the identity retrieved after decoding of the result of the combination between the biometric measurement relating to said individual and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data corresponds to an identity provided by said individual.

13. The method as claimed in claim 9 , in which the coding of the biometric data with a respective word relating to an error correcting code, each word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to the individual associated with the corresponding biometric data, complies with the McEliece cryptosystem.

14. The method as claimed in claim 9 , in which each word with which respective biometric data are coded comprises a substantially predetermined quantity of modified or erased binary elements.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 , in which the substantially predetermined quantity of modified or erased binary elements for each word is fixed as a function of a preset level of difficulty of retrieving the item concealed in said word, without knowing said private function, and of said statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14 , in which the sum of said substantially predetermined quantity of modified or erased binary elements for each word and of said statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual is less than or equal to the quantity of errors that the error correcting code chosen can correct.

17. A coding device for coding biometric data associated with respective individuals, the coding device comprising:

means for obtaining biometric data associated with an individual;

means for generating a word relating to an error correcting code chosen so as to correct a quantity of errors in conjunction with a statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual, the word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to said individual;

means for performing a combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated.

18. The coding device as claimed in claim 17 , in which the means for performing a combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated are arranged for calculating an exclusive OR between the biometric data obtained and the word generated.

19. The coding device as claimed in claim 17 , in which the item concealed in the word generated is an identity of said individual.

20. The coding device as claimed in claim 17 , in which the means for generating a word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to said individual are in accordance with the McEliece cryptosystem.

21. The coding device as claimed in claim 17 , comprising means for modifying or erasing a substantially predetermined quantity of binary elements of the word generated or of the result of the combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated.

22. The coding device as claimed in claim 21 , in which the substantially predetermined quantity of binary elements of the word generated that is modified or that is erased by said means for modifying or erasing is fixed as a function of a preset level of difficulty of retrieving the item concealed in said word, without knowing said private function, and of the statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual.

23. The coding device as claimed in claim 21 , in which the sum of said substantially predetermined quantity of binary elements of the word generated that is modified or that is erased by said means for modifying or erasing and of said statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual is less than or equal to the quantity of errors that the error collecting code chosen can correct.

24. The coding device as claimed in claim 17 , comprising means for storing the result of the combination between the biometric data obtained and the word generated.

25. A checking device for checking identity on the basis of previously stored biometric data, the biometric data being associated with respective individuals and each being coded with a respective word relating to an error correcting code, each word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to the individual associated with the corresponding biometric data, the error correcting code being chosen so as to correct a quantity of errors in conjunction with a statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual, the checking device comprising:

means for performing a biometric measurement relating to an individual;

means for performing a combination between said biometric measurement and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data; and

means for decoding the result of said combination on the basis of said private function, so as to retrieve the item concealed in the word with which the biometric data associated with said individual have been previously coded.

26. The checking device as claimed in claim 25 , in which the means for performing a combination between said biometric measurement and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data are arranged for calculating an exclusive OR between said biometric measurement and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data.

27. The checking device as claimed in claim 25 , in which said item concealed in a word relating to the error correcting code, with which the biometric data associated with an individual are coded, is an identity of said individual.

28. The checking device as claimed in claim 27 , furthermore comprising means for verifying that the identity retrieved after decoding of the result of the combination between the biometric measurement relating to said individual and certain at least of the stored coded biometric data corresponds to an identity provided by said individual.

29. The checking device as claimed in claim 25 , in which the coding of the biometric data with a respective word relating to an error correcting code, each word concealing, with the aid of a private function, an item relating to the individual associated with the corresponding biometric data, complies with the McEliece cryptosystem.

30. The checking device as claimed in claim 25 , in which each word with which respective biometric data are coded comprises a substantially predetermined quantity of modified or erased binary elements.

31. The checking device as claimed in claim 30 , in which the substantially predetermined quantity of modified or erased binary elements for each word is fixed as a function of a preset level of difficulty of retrieving the item concealed in said word, without knowing said private function, and of said statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual.

32. The checking device as claimed in claim 30 , in which the sum of said substantially predetermined quantity of modified or erased binary elements for each word and of said statistical quantity of errors between two biometric measurements relating to one and the same individual is less than or equal to the quantity of errors that the error correcting code chosen can correct.